Patents Assigned to Methode Electronics, Inc.
  • Patent number: 5763793
    Abstract: A torque sensor is provided for measuring the amount of torque being applied to a rotatable shaft fitted with a torsion bar between two separate shaft segments. The sensor includes first rotor attached to a first shaft segment such that angular rotation of the first segment is translated to the rotor. A second rotor is attached to the second shaft segment such that angular rotation the second shaft segment is translated to the second rotor. The first rotor supplies two pairs of signal voltage references circumferentially spaced around a surface of the first rotor. At least one resistive track having a uniform linear resistance extends between the voltage signal references of each pair. A pair of contact carriers are positioned between the first and second rotors. Surface features formed in the contact carriers and the first rotor couple the contact carriers to the first rotor such that the contact carriers are constrained to move anullarly around the central axis of rotation of the first rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Harris Ng, John A. De Franco, Matthew B. LaCourse, Mohan J. Devsam, Liu Qiyuan
  • Patent number: 5748924
    Abstract: An adapter for performing bi-directional data transfers between a SCSI bus, which transfers data using a parallel format, and a serial transfer medium, which transfers data using a serial format and being connected to a serial device. The adapter bi-directionally transfers SCSI data between itself and the SCSI bus. In addition, the adapter bi-directionally converts between SCSI formatted data and serially formatted data. Furthermore, the adapter bi-directionally transfers serially formatted data between itself and the serial transfer medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph R. Llorens, Huili Wang
  • Patent number: 5738529
    Abstract: A cable connector system is provided having a carrier strip and a center contact mounted to a conductive trace of a substrate, such as an automotive window glass, at a predetermined distance from the carrier strip to receive a stripped cable, such as a coaxial cable in order to provide for the quick and easy attachment of the cable to the substrate, such as for attachment of a cellular phone to an antenna on automotive window glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Howard O. Wedell, Gerald J. Ingles
  • Patent number: 5739487
    Abstract: A switching assembly having an on switch with a separate off release actuator. The switching assembly has a switch which has both an on position and an off position. Connected on the switch is an on button which has both a released position and a depressed position. The moving of the on button into the depressed position causes the switch to toggle into the on position. Also connected to the switch is an actuator rod which provides for the locking and releasing of the switch from the on position. The actuator rod is connected to an off button which has both a depressed position and a released position. Moving the off button into the depressed position causes the switch to toggle into the off position. Furthermore, a spring is connected to the actuator rod for maintaining the on switch in the on position until the actuator is forced to release the on switch from the on position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary R. Best
  • Patent number: 5731958
    Abstract: A latch connected to a surface mount component for subsequent connection to a printed circuit board is provided as well as a method for mounting a surface mount component to a printed circuit board. The surface mount component has a soldering tail extending therefrom and at least one latch insertable through an aperture in the printed circuit board, without force, such that the soldering tails extending from the surface mount component rest on corresponding soldering pads of the printed circuit board. As a result, surface mount components are mountable to a printed circuit board using standard, available equipment, such as a vacuum head placed component, and the components are subsequently soldered to the printed circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles A. Kozel
  • Patent number: 5717533
    Abstract: A robust optoelectronic transceiver module which is quick, easy, and inexpensive to manufacture. The transceiver module has a main housing which consists of a potting box with potting material inserted therein. In addition, a circuit board is encased by the potting material. The circuit board has an optical subassembly mounted thereon. The optical subassembly extends outside of the potting box through a recess. Correspondingly, a recess cover is provided for forming a liquid tight seal between the recess cover, the potting box, and the optical subassembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1998
    Assignee: Methode Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel S. Poplawski, James W. McGinley
  • Patent number: 5688146
    Abstract: A conductive component for carrying electrical signals constructed from a molded polymer substrate and a conductive coating adhered to the substrate, the coating defining a continuous electrical pathway between at least two terminals. Preferably, molded plastic such as liquid crystal polymer is formed to make circuits having conductive ink adhered thereto in order to provide inexpensive and versatile printed circuit boards for carrying electrical traces and other components and to provide printed formed contacts. The conductive solderable inks can be adhered to the substrate, for example, via screen printing, brush, spraying, dipping, masking, vacuum plating or vacuum deposition with subsequent oven drying, reflowing in a vapor phase, post curing or plating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: William J. McGinley, John R. Cannon, William J. Green, Richard P. Zanardo
  • Patent number: 5683256
    Abstract: An integral thru-hole contact is provided for solderless connection of a pin inserted therein. The integral contact provides for an interconnect board of extremely low profile for interconnection with an IC package or sockets or pin grid array sockets and may provide for power/ground decoupling or voltage conversion and upgrading of microprocessors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: William E. Werther
  • Patent number: 5641297
    Abstract: A zero insertion force ball grid array socket comprises a base having an array of passages and contacts mounted therein. A carrier for receiving the ball grid array package and slidingly movable from a nonmated position to a mated position. The contacts having surface mount tails exposed in a perpendicular direction above the base and the balls of the ball grid array package being inspectable from the opposite side of the carrier receiving the ball grid array package thereon. The carrier includes carrier arms having cells for receiving balls of the ball grid array package and the cells having an enlarged circumference due to ball support means projecting therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles A. Kozel
  • Patent number: 5637008
    Abstract: A zero insertion force ball grid array socket comprises a base having an array of passages and contacts mounted therein. A carrier for receiving the ball grid array package and slidingly movable from a nonmated position to a mated position. The contacts having surface mount tails exposed in a perpendicular direction above the base and the balls of the ball grid array package being inspectable from the opposite side of the carrier receiving the ball grid array package thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles A. Kozel
  • Patent number: 5638390
    Abstract: A power stabilizer for maintaining a constant level of output power from a laser transmitter. The laser transmitter has a laser diode which produces a optical output which corresponds to the level of bias current received. In addition, the laser transmitter has a photodiode which produces a feedback signal which corresponds to the optical output power being produced by the laser diode. Furthermore, the power stabilizer consists of a digitally controlled potentiometer for producing a reference input signal and an op-amp for comparing the feedback signal and the reference input signal to produce a control signal to supply bias current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick B. Gilliland, Andy A. Goryachev
  • Patent number: 5636998
    Abstract: A pluggable male terminator for use with a female ribbon cable connector. The terminator is comprised of three basic parts that can snap together. The three members are a shroud having openings in the top, a PC board with pins extending from opposed surfaces, and a cover with recesses therein. The pins are complementary in shape and size to the openings in the shroud and the recesses in the cover. Further, the pins are aligned with the openings in the shroud and the recesses. For assembly, the pins on the PC board are inserted into the recesses in the cover openings in the shroud and the parts are pushed together. The pins extending from the shroud are adapted to be inserted into recesses in the female ribbon cable connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John J. Daly, Daniel S. Poplawski
  • Patent number: 5627729
    Abstract: A memory card assembly is provided having a one-piece construction including a cardedge receptacle for slidingly receiving the conductive fingers of a printed circuit board and providing for an electrical connection without soldering. The one-piece construction is achieved by the injection molding of an internal frame to capture the protruding edges of the top and bottom metallic covers. Sufficient normal force of the cardedge receptacle is maintained by a brace member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 6, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John Oldendorf, Mark Stack
  • Patent number: 5620331
    Abstract: A feed-thru IDC terminator is provided for simultaneously terminating a bus and connecting a bus to a peripheral device. A first end of the feed-thru connector includes IDC contacts and a second end of the feed-thru connector includes feed-thru contacts and a printed circuit board is mounted therebetween having termination circuitry thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Oleg Los, Jaime Duran, William L. Zuckerman
  • Patent number: 5621836
    Abstract: An injection molded plastic fiber alignment ferrule is provided with a polishing pedestal. The ferrule has an opening therethrough for receiving the end of a fiber which is bonded therein by an anaerobic adhesive and extends beyond the pedestal. The fiber is cleaved and the end is severed. The ferrule is polished to remove the pedestal, resulting in a smoothly polished end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 15, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Philip W. Schofield, Michael A. Reed, Kenneth Marchman
  • Patent number: 5601437
    Abstract: A clockspring having a device for determining if the clockspring is centered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffery A. Harvey, Gerald L. McClure
  • Patent number: 5599595
    Abstract: A conductive component for carrying electrical signals constructed from a molded polymer substrate and a conductive coating adhered to the substrate, the coating defining a continuous electrical pathway between at least two terminals. Preferably, molded plastic such as liquid crystal polymer is formed to make circuits having conductive ink adhered thereto in order to provide inexpensive and versatile printed circuit boards for carrying electrical traces and other components and to provide printed formed contacts. The conductive solderable inks can be adhered to the substrate, for example, via screen printing, brush, spraying, dipping, masking, vacuum plating or vacuum deposition with subsequent oven drying, reflowing in a vapor phase, post curing or plating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. McGinley, John R. Cannon, William J. Green, Richard P. Zanardo
  • Patent number: 5597319
    Abstract: A zero insertion force pin grid array socket includes a cover slidably engaged to a base and having an array of holes formed therethrough. The base has an array of corresponding passages, the passages receiving pins of an IC package inserted through corresponding holes of the cover. Contacts are mounted within the passages and are mounted at an angle askew to the sides of the base in order to provide a high density interstitial array. The contacts include torsional beams which deflect upon the engagement of the pin of the IC package which have a surface area of at least thirty percent of the entire surface area of contacts. The contacts include a wiping area which is plated which has a surface area of less than a fortieth of the entire surface area of the contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: John T. Scheitz, Kathleen A. Capilupo
  • Patent number: 5586008
    Abstract: A latch connected to a surface mount component for subsequent connection to a printed circuit board is provided as well as a method for mounting a surface mount component to a printed circuit board having a zero mounting force. The surface mount component has a soldering tail extending therefrom and at least one latch or latch contact insertable through an aperture in the printed circuit board, without force, such that the soldering tails extending from the surface mount component rest on corresponding soldering pads of the printed circuit board. As a result, surface mount components are mountable to a printed circuit board using standard, available equipment, such as a vacuum head placed component which allow for placement of the component via gravity, and the components are subsequently soldered to the printed circuit board. The assembly also includes a board latch pin and a weighted cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles A. Kozel, John Oldendorf, John T. Scheitz, Tuan J. Tan
  • Patent number: 5580259
    Abstract: A clockspring assembly having an apparatus for reducing the length of cable used in the clockspring's design. The clockspring has a housing which defines a first aperture. Rotatably mounted within the first aperture is a hub having a second aperture. Between the housing and the hub is a radial space defined within the housing. The radial space contains a ribbon cable which has a first end connected to a first connector and a second end connected to a second connector. Correspondingly, the first connector is attached to the housing and the second connector is attached to the hub. Furthermore, resiliently clamped onto the hub is a carrier apparatus which has a clamping portion for pressing the ribbon cable onto the hub during its rotation. In addition, the carrier apparatus also has a brace for reducing vibration of the portion of the cable portion which is not being pressed against the hub.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Methode Electronics, Inc.
    Inventors: Patrick A. Bolen, Kevin M. Thompson